Conserving precious plants, animals and places is a critical responsibility in West Virginia. No one does it better than the Nature Conservancy.

Some people who see themselves as environmentalists favor confrontation as a way to achieve their goals. But the Conservancy is based on the feeling that cooperation works better.

Does it? Judge for yourself: More than 120,000 acres — for comparison, that is about twice the land area of Brooke County — in our state has been safeguarded for the future by the Conservancy. No one else even comes close. Conservancy officials work with land owners, sometimes large companies, to preserve significant natural areas. Often, the business community is delighted to cooperate. …